Mop structure



July 10 1945- J. c TRINDL 2,380,l28

MOP STRUCTURE Filed May 22, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet l July 10, 1945- J. c.TRINDL 2,380,12@

MOP STRUCTURE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 22, 1945 July 10 1945- J. c.TRINDL 2,380,128

v MOP STRUCTURE Filed May 22, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 @gigs Patented July10, 1945 ITED STATES PATENT OF'FI C E Mor STRUCTURE John Charles Trindl,Chcagroglll.

V.Application May 22, 1943, Serial No. 488,032

` s claims. (C1. :l- 153) My invention-relates to Amop 'structures ofthe type in which `a mop element composed of 4an 'assembly ofcomparatively `short length cotton yarn or other -suitable fabric'issecured to a holder, `the .general object of ythe inventionibeing toproduce a simpliedbutmore eiicient lmonstrueture which may beeconomically manufactured.

More in ,detailyone important object of the inventionjis toeliminatemetal parts-and to con-- struct the lmop holder oftwonon-imetallic parts, preferably of wood, rbetwc-ienwl'iic'h -the mopelement is clampediand whichare held togetherin clamping engagementbyordinary stock screws readily ,accessibleorremoval and separation .ofthe clamping .partsso that@ wornoutmopelement maybe readily removed andreplaced .bya freshmopfelement.

.A further' importantobject.isftoproducefa -mcp structure in .which htheholder comprises a body having -a ,longitudinally Vextemiing -channel-in its under side -for receiving ia-clamping 'member in the `lform of`a rod-cr bar. .between -which and th body #the mop-element'is clamped.I f

`Another important. object is Ato bprovide a lrigid holder 4whosegbottom presents a transversely rounded or convexed pressing surfacewhich will eiciently `co-operate with the in surface -of an i expressingelement "to Vfunction substantially 4like -a wringerroll -for expressingwater out'of the ymop element.

Another important object is to .roughen lthe bottom of thehold-er, asbyrecessing or grooving, to provide ridges ort-edges for-engaging'the-mopstrands at several :points along their flengt'hsf-to distribute thetension thereon when the mop structure `is applied to -a =floor`duringacleaning operation or when `the structureis applied -to an expressingelem-ent, thus `to prevent localization of tension'on the str-ands `at`their ,pointsiof con-- nection with `the holderwand prolonging -thevlife of the Amop element; l -A furthenimportant object is lito `providea 'unitary Mmop element in which the mop forming strands are :secured`togethervby 'cross-wise stitching, which may be reinforced by'tape, ands with thewidth of Atheistitci'iing ytufee suchthat'this area willextend transversely the full distance between the holder body fand :bar*to receive the clamping pressure when :the body-land barare rsecuredtogether, fthis stitching and .reinforcingarea then" serving `as aguiding :means ffor accurate application o'f rthe mop elementtortheholder.

"The Labove nenumerated -`4vand other *important features of myinventionare embodied in the structure shown on the drawings, in whichdrawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of lthe mop structure; V

Figure '2 is an end View;

Figure 3 is a section onplane III--III of Figure 1 showing the mopstructure applied to a wringing or moisture expressingdevice;

Figure 4 is 'a plan view of a portion of the mop unit; I

[Figure 5 is a perspective view, partly in section;

Figure is a perspective view, partly Vin section,- showing a modiedarrangement;

Figure 7 is a transverse section showing another modified arrangement;

Figure 8 shows the mop structure after c1eaning and rinsing thereof;

Figure 9 showsth'e first application of the mop structure A*to amodified expressing element;

Figure 10 shows the structure rocked or rolled in one direction ontheexpressing element; and

Figure 11 shows the structure `rrocked or rolled inthe oppositedirection on the expressing ,element.

Referring to Figures l to '5, M indicates the mop element and VIfl the4holder element. The

holder comprises the bodyl and a clamping lcular channel |13 "for'receiving the bar II which is shown as bei-ng cylindrical and which ispreferably of wood. The body has two or more holes IE for ordinary'stcck-screws Ifor threading into the clamping bar IfI 4to hold this bar inclamping position. I n

The mop-element `M "is composed of a row or superposed rows ofcomparatively short strands oricords -I"6, preferablyof material such ascotton, and these strands, Valong an area intermediate their-ends, aresecured together'by cross-stitching I1 as shown 'on Figure 4, the widthof this crossstitched area being such that, when the mop element isa-ppliedfto the holder, the stitched ,area will extend transverselyalong the full distance of the semi-cylindrical surface of the channelI3. This stitched'area may be reinforced on opposite I sides `by tape'bands IB and I9, these tape bands edges 20 and recesses 2I. When thestructure is to be assembled, the mop element M is applied around theclamping bar with its tape reinforced stitched area in alignment withthe bar, and then the holder body I is applied over this taped area andthe screws I5 are inserted and secured to draw the clamping bar towardthe body for clamping of the mop element. The clamping pressure of thebar against the body causes the mop material to engage around thecorrugation ridges 2D and into the grooves 2l so that the mop elementwill be rigidly anchored along its taped area against transverse andlongitudinal displacement on the holder. The bottom of the holder bodyI0, rearwardly of the channel I3, may also be roughened as by grooves22.

With the lower half of the cylindrical clamping bar Il projecting fromthe holder body I0, the

holder bottom presents a generally transversely the pressure thereon toprevent localization ofv tension on the strands at their points ofconnection with the holder.

The curved roughened bottom ofthe holder also effects more thoroughwringing and drying of the mop element when applied to a moistureexpressing element after the mop has been dipped and rinsed. Referringto Figure 3, 23 indicates a wringing or moisture expressing pan of Ucrosssection which, in practice, is usually supported across the upperedge of a container, such as a pail, which contains the cleaning fluidsuch as water, the pan having the drain openings 24. When the mop hasbeen rinsed, the structure is applied in the forward end of the pansubstantially in the position indicated by Figure 2, the holder is thenpressed down by its handle P to exert pressure against the mop strandsbetween the pan and the holder and part of the moisture y is expressedtherefrom. The mop structure is then rocked or rolled by its handlealong the bottom of and against the outer wall of the pan, as shown onFigure 3. During such rocking or rolling motion, the edgesor ridges ,ofthe recesses 2I in the clamping bar I I will engage with the mop strandsat several points along their lengths to distribute the tension thereonto prevent localization of the tension at the points of connection ofthe strands with the holder as the strands are dragged along the panduring rocking or rolling of the holder. During the end of the rockingor rolling movement, the edges of the recesses 22 in the holder bodywill come into engagement with the strands to rip them while the ends ofthe strands are pressed against the forward wall of the pan during thefinal rocking movement of the holder. The mop is thus efcientlyexpressed and dried, with comparatively little effort on the part of themop user. The distribution of the tension of the mop strands by theedges of the roughened bottom of the holder will minimize tearing of thestrands from the holder and the life of the mop element is thusmaterially prolonged. l

'I'he modified structure of Figure 6 is the same as that of Figures 1 to5 except that the roughened surface on the clamping bar is provided byspirally extending grooves 35.

In the modified arrangement of Figure 7, the holder body I0 has atransversely rounded or convexed bottom surface, and the channel 36 ofrectangular cross-section for receiving a clamping bar 21of rectangularcross-section, the height of the bar being such that, when the mopelement is clamped into place in the holder body by securing of thescrews I5, the bottom surface of the bar will be in alignment with thebottom surface of the holder body. Y

It will be noted that the cords X of the mop depending from the front ofthe clamping bar are longer than the cords Y depending from the rear ofthe bar. These relative lengths are such that, when the mop structure isbeing applied to the expressing pan 24, as shown in Figure 3, the endsof the cords are pressed against the side wall of the pan but do notextend beyond the upper edge of the side wall or beyond the upper rearedge of the holder body, so that the fluid will be driven from the endsof the cords or strands to assure effective drying.

Figure 8 shows the mop structure just lifted out of a pail aftercleaning and rinsing thereof for application to a modified form of anexpressing element shown in Figures 9, 10 and 11. This expressingelement is of L shape comprising the legs 25 and 26. The expressingelement is supported on the edge of a pail with the longer leg 25inclining downwardly toward the pail center and with the leg 26 at theinner edge of the leg 25. The leg 25 has longitudinally extendingchannels 21 interconnected by cross channels 28, and the leg 26 has thelongitudinally extending channels 29 connected by cross channels 30,through which channels moisture expressed from the mop element may flowinto the pail. After withdrawal from the pail, the mop structure isapplied downwardly under pressure against the expresser element leg 25,with the handle P extending substantially vertically. During thisapplication of the structure to the expresser, the forward cluster ofstrands X will fold outwardly between the front face of the holder andthe compresser leg 26 and then inwardly between the expresser bottom 25and the holder, while the outer cluster Y of the strands will foldoutward- 1y and then inwardly between the expresser bottom and theholder, the downward pressure on the handle causing the holder to movedown the inclined bottom of the expresser toward the leg 26 thereof sothat the strand cluster X is compressed for expression of moisturetherefrom. After such downward pressure on the holder, it is rocked orrolled clockwise by its handle, as indicated by Figure 10, and duringsuch rolling motion, the roughened surfaces of the clamping bar IIengages the strands of the cluster X and drags them across the edges ofthe longitudinal channels 29 in the expresser bottom to thus force themoisture therefrom, while'during the end portion of the rollingmovement, the edges of the grooves 22 in the heel of the holder engagewith the strands Y to force them'against the expresser bottom and theedges of the channels 21, thus drying these strands. The holder may nowbe rocked in the opposite direction, as indicated byFigure 11, to dragthe strands of the cluster X against and forwardly along the expresserbottom and the channels 21 for final drying of the large strand clusterX. The' back and 4forth rocking or rolling movement of the holder may becontinued although usually one forward and lback rolling movementl willbe suflicient to effectively dry the mop element.

I have thus produced a practical and eilicient mop structure which maybe economically manufactured out of inexpensive available material andfrom which a used-up mop element may be readily removed by the housewifeand a fresh element applied with accuracy. With the shape andconstruction shown, involving the transversely rounded or convexedholder body, the structure adapts itself readily to various types ofexpresser elements for eicient wringing and drying, the roughening ofthe holder bottom augmenting the efficiency of the mop structure whenused on a oor and the efficiency of the wringing or drying operationbesides prolonging the life of the mop element.

I have shown a practical and elicient embodiment of the features of myinvention but I do not desire to be limited'to the exact structure andarrangement shown and described as changes and modications may be madewithout departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim as follows:

l. A mop structure comprising an oblong body having a wide channel inits underside extending longitudinally along the front portion thereofto leave an extended heel portion, a cylindrical clamping bar having itsupper portion fitting into said channel and its lower portion exposed.below the underside of said body, a stranded mop element having anintermediate portion thereof engaging around the upper portion of saidbar with the strands depending therefrom, securing means for drawingsaid bar into said channel for clamping the intermediate portion of themop element between the bar and the body, said exposed lower portion ofsaid bar providing a rounded rocker fulcrum for said body whereby saidbody may be rocked for the application of pressure by said heel portionagainst themop element when said mop element is moved along a surface tobe cleaned or while being applied to an expressing element, said heelportion having longitudinally extending grooves in the bottom thereofproviding longitudinally extending gripping edges for gripping the mopelement strands at various points along their length whereby todistribute the tension on the mop element strands and preventlocalization vof the tension at the points of connection of the strandswith the body to thereby eliminate tearing of the strands and to prolongthe life of the mop element.

its lower half projecting below the bottom of the body, a mop elementhaving its intermediate portion engaging around the top of said bar withits strands extending therefrom, said bar being corrugted to providelongitudinally extending gripping edges, means for drawing said bar intothe channel for engagement of the top gripping edges on the bar with theintermediate portion of the mop element for securing' the mop element tothe body, the underside of said heel portion being corrugated to providelongitudinally extending gripping edges, the gripping edges on said bodyand on the projecting portionv of said bar serving to grip the mopelement strands at various points along their length when said strandsare being dragged along the surface to be mopped or when said body isrocked rearwardly while being applied to an expressing element, wherebyto distribute the tension on the strands and to prevent localization ofthe tension at the points of connection of the strands with the body andto thereby prolong the life of the mop element.

3. A mop structure comprising an oblong body having a widesemi-cylindrical channel in its under side extending longitudinallyalong the front portion thereof to leave an extended heel portionrearwardly of the channel, a cylindrical clamping bar for iitting intosaid channel with its lower half projecting below the bottom of thebody, a mop element having its intermediate Vportion engaging around thetop of said bar with its strands extending therefrom, said bar beingcorrugated to provide longitudinally extending gripping edges, means fordrawing said bar into the channel for engagement of the top grippingedges on the bar with the intermediate portion of the mop element forsecuring the mop element to the body, the under side of said heelportion being corrugated to provide longitudinally extending grippingedges, the gripping edges on said body and on the projecting portions ofsaid bar serving to grip the mop element strands at various points alongtheir length when the strands are moved along a surface to be cleanedwhereby to distribute the tension on the strands and preventlocalization of the tension at the points of connection of the strandswith the body, the strands extending from the forward side of said barbeing suiciently longer than the strands extending from the rearwardside of the bar whereby when said body is moved forwardly 2. A mopstructure comprising an oblong body l having a wide semi-cylindricalchannel in its under side extending longitudinally along the frontportion thereof to leave an extended heel portion rearwardly of thechannel, a cylindrical clamping bar for fitting into said channel withand rocked rearwardly under pressure against a surface the ends of thestrands will be pressed ybetween .the surface and the rear side of saidheel portion for extraction of moisture from the strand ends. A

JOHN CHARLES TRIN'DL.

